Transceiver unit

Abstract

An air cooled transceiver enclosure which includes multiple cooling posts about the enclosure. The transmitter and receiver antennas are planar mounted above the cooling posts and the cooling posts are selected so as not to interfere with the radiation and form part of the ground plane. The cooling posts are, in general, of a height which is less than one-quarter the wave length of the frequencies to be used. In accordance with another feature of the present invention, the transceiver base unit with cooling posts and mounted antennas has an easily attachable cover which is removably engaged to the transceiver base unit and offset from the planar antennas which lie above the base unit. In accordance with another feature of the invention, the transceiver base unit with cooling posts and mounted antennas has an easily attachable cover which is removably engaged to the transceiver base unit and offset from the planer antennas which lie above the base unit.

What is claimed is:  
     
       1. A transceiver unit for transmitting and receiving radio frequencies comprising: 
       a first member having a first cooling surface;  
       a second member having a second cooling surface, the first and second members disposed adjacent to each other to form a transceiver base having an inner cavity;  
       a plurality of air cooling posts disposed on each of the first and second cooling surfaces, said air cooling posts having a height which is less than one quarter the wave length of the frequencies employed by the transceiver unit; and  
       electronic transceiver components located within the inner cavity and thermally coupled thereto, such that the electronic transceiver components dissipate heat through the plurality of air cooling posts located on both the first and the second cooling surfaces.  
     
     
       2. The transceiver unit of  claim 1 , wherein planar antennas are located above the air cooling posts on one side of the transceiver base whereby the transceiver base forms a ground plane for the antenna. 
     
     
       3. The transceiver unit of  claim 1 , wherein a cover unit is frictionally engaged above the transceiver base so as to allow air cooling to circulate by convection past the air cooling posts on the first cooling surface. 
     
     
       4. The transceiver unit of  claim 1 , additionally comprising: 
       rear mounting posts located on the second cooling surface for accepting a mounting plate which holds the transceiver unit away from a mounting surface such that an air gap is created between the air cooling posts on the second cooling surface and the mounting plate.  
     
     
       5. The transceiver unit of  claim 4 , wherein the first plurality of rear mounting posts are longer than the air cooling posts, thereby forming a space between the air cooling posts on the second cooling surface and the mounting plate. 
     
     
       6. The transceiver unit of  claim 1 , additionally comprising: 
       a first plurality of front mounting posts located on the first cooling surface for accepting planar antennas such that an air gap is created between the air cooling posts and the planar antennas.  
     
     
       7. The transceiver unit of  claim 6 , additionally comprising: 
       a second plurality of front mounting posts located on the first cooling surface for accepting a cover unit such that an air gap is created between the planar antennas, the transceiver base and the cover unit such that air flows over the air cooling posts.  
     
     
       8. The transceiver unit of  claim 6 , wherein the first plurality of front mounting posts are longer than the air cooling posts, thereby forming a space between the air cooling posts and the planar antennas. 
     
     
       9. The transceiver unit of  claim 1 , wherein the transceiver base protects the electronic components from outside elements. 
     
     
       10. The transceiver unit of  claim 1 , wherein the transceiver base further comprises a plurality of openings for accepting a power connector, a global positioning system (GPS) antenna connector, a local area network (LAN) connector, and other connectors useful in operating the transceiver unit. 
     
     
       11. A transceiver unit for transmitting and receiving radio frequencies comprising: 
       a first member having a first cooling surface;  
       a second member having a second cooling surface, the first and second members disposed adjacent to each other to form a transceiver base having an inner cavity;  
       a plurality of air cooling posts disposed on each of the first and second cooling surfaces, said air cooling posts having a height which is less than one quarter the wave length of the frequencies employed by the transceiver unit;  
       electronic transceiver components located within the inner cavity and thermally coupled thereto, such that the electronic transceiver components dissipate heat through the plurality of air cooling posts located on both the first and the second cooling surfaces; and  
       rear mounting posts located on the second cooling surface for accepting a mounting plate which holds the transceiver unit away from a mounting surface such that an air gap is created between the air cooling posts and the mounting plate.  
     
     
       12. The transceiver unit of  claim 11 , wherein the first plurality of rear mounting posts are longer than the air cooling posts. 
     
     
       13. The transceiver unit of  claim 11 , additionally comprising: 
       a first plurality of front mounting posts located on the first cooling surface for accepting planar antennas such that an air gap is created between the air cooling posts and the planar antennas.  
     
     
       14. The transceiver unit of  claim 13 , wherein the first plurality of front mounting posts are longer than the air cooling posts. 
     
     
       15. The transceiver unit of  claim 13 , additionally comprising: 
       a second plurality of front mounting posts located on the first cooling surface for accepting a cover unit such that an air gap is created between the planar antennas, the transceiver base and the cover unit such that air flows over the air cooling posts.  
     
     
       16. A method for cooling a transceiver unit which transmits and receives radio frequencies comprising: 
       disposing a first member and a second member adjacent to each other to form a transceiver base having an inner cavity, the first member having a first cooling surface and the second member having a second cooling surface;  
       disposing a plurality of air cooling posts on each of the first and second cooling surfaces, said air cooling posts having a height which is less than one quarter the wave length of the frequencies employed by the transceiver unit; and  
       thermally coupling electronic transceiver components within the inner cavity, such that the electronic transceiver components dissipate heat through the plurality of air cooling posts located on both the first and the second cooling surfaces.  
     
     
       17. The method of  claim 16 , wherein the transceiver base protects the electronic components from outside elements. 
     
     
       18. The method of  claim 16 , wherein the transceiver base additionally comprises connecting at least one of a power connector, a global positioning system (GPS) antenna connector, a local area network (LAN) connector, or other devices useful in operating the transceiver unit. 
     
     
       19. The method of  claim 16 , additionally comprising mounting planar antennas above the air cooling posts on one side of the transceiver base whereby the transceiver base forms a ground plane for the antenna. 
     
     
       20. The method of  claim 16 , additionally comprising frictionally engaging a cover unit above the transceiver base so as to allow air cooling to circulate by convection past the air cooling posts on the first cooling surface. 
     
     
       21. The method of  claim 16 , additionally comprising disposing rear mounting posts on the second cooling surface for accepting a mounting plate which holds the transceiver unit away from a mounting surface such that an air gap is created between the air cooling posts on the second cooling surface and the mounting plate. 
     
     
       22. The method of  claim 21 , wherein the first plurality of rear mounting posts are longer than the air cooling posts, thereby forming a space between the air cooling posts on the second cooling surface and the mounting plate. 
     
     
       23. The method of  claim 16 , additionally comprising disposing a first plurality of front mounting posts on the first cooling surface for accepting planar antennas such that an air gap is created between the air cooling posts and the planar antennas. 
     
     
       24. The method of  claim 23 , additionally comprising disposing a second plurality of front mounting posts on the first cooling surface for accepting a cover unit such that an air gap is created between the planar antennas, the transceiver base and the cover unit such that air flows over the air cooling posts. 
     
     
       25. The method of  claim 23 , wherein the first plurality of front mounting posts are longer than the air cooling posts, thereby forming a space between the air cooling posts and the planar antennas. 
     
     
       26. A method for cooling a transceiver unit which transmits and receives radio frequencies comprising: 
       disposing a first member and a second member adjacent to each other to form a transceiver base having an inner cavity, the first member having a first cooling surface and the second member having a second cooling surface;  
       disposing a plurality of air cooling posts on each of the first and second cooling surfaces, said air cooling posts having a height which is less than one quarter the wave length of the frequencies employed by the transceiver unit;  
       thermally coupling electronic transceiver components within the inner cavity, such that the electronic transceiver components dissipate heat through the plurality of air cooling posts located on both the first and the second cooling surfaces; and  
       disposing rear mounting posts on the second cooling surface for accepting a mounting plate which holds the transceiver unit away from a mounting surface such that an air gap is created between the air cooling posts and the mounting plate.  
     
     
       27. The method of  claim 26 , wherein the first plurality of rear mounting posts are longer than the air cooling posts. 
     
     
       28. The method of  claim 26 , additionally comprising disposing a first plurality of front mounting posts on the first cooling surface for accepting planar antennas such that an air gap is created between the air cooling posts and the planar antennas. 
     
     
       29. The method of  claim 28 , wherein the first plurality of front mounting posts are longer than the air cooling posts. 
     
     
       30. The method of  claim 28 , additionally comprising disposing a second plurality of front mounting posts on the first cooling surface for accepting a cover unit such that an air gap is created between the planar antennas, the transceiver base and the cover unit such that air flows over the air cooling posts.